International cooperation between small and medium enterprises (SMEs) is a key element for the development of technologies to support new products. To this end, the Fifth Framework Programme of the European Commission sees the "promotion of innovation and the encouragement of SMEs participation" to the European Union's research programmes.
In particular, the "Economic and Technological Intelligence" (Eti) action sees "accompaniment measures " stimulating use of appropriate tools to identify SMEs needs  and anticipate technological and market trends, thus directing them towards the most suitable community programmes to solve their contingent necessities. One of the most recent initiatives, born to promote, inform and support SMEs participation to research programmes financed in the context of advanced electronics, is the European project Sweets, presented and approved in Eti context and coordinated in Italy by Enea.

The project collects and organises a network of eleven partner specialised centres, in six different European countries (in Italy: Turin's Corep, Prato's Cesvit Microelettronica and Crr - Rome's Consorzio Roma Ricerche), who supply experience and assistance in the field of microelectronics, of technological transferral and technological innovation in general.
The main sectors interested are those of electronics and microelectronics, although other intervention sectors are not excluded.

Special requisites are not demanded to be able to participate to the financing request: the registration with the Chamber of Commerce is enough. Typically, in the event of acceptance of the proposal, the companies receive an advance and following instalments as works progress, up to a maximum of 90%. The remaining 10% is given upon the project's conclusion.

January.2002

Enea